The Hudson Valley Rail Trail is a place where people from near and far can enjoy recreation, exercise and a hint of nature. That doesn’t jibe well with the high-speed cyclists who, according to association president Peter Bellizzi, “insist it’s a speedway just for them.” He told Lloyd Town Council members that there are reports of such cyclists whizzing past senior citizens at an alarming speed. “They’re hard to catch,” he said, and to do so he’s requested that police officers be stationed on the trail from time to time for that purpose.
“Someone could get killed,” said council member Kevin Brennie, who was clearly in agreement that the behavior of this small group of trail users is a concern.
Once the long-planned connection to New Paltz is completed, the trail systems of Ulster and Dutchess counties and beyond will be transformed into a massive network of trails largely off of roads. It’s conceivable that such high-speed antics on the Highland trail, which unlike some others is paved, might only increase in frequency as the trail miles are expanded. Phase 3 of the connection, which will bring the trail to South Road, is now out to bid.